Category: Speeches

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received on the decision of the BBC to require registration for using iPlayer from 2017.

    Matt Hancock

    We have received no representations about this matter.

  • Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2015 to Question 8120, what the range is of the RAF Sea King helicopter resource in its coverage of Atlantic waters.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The operational range of RAF Sea King helicopters is some 210-240 nautical miles.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Emma Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment the Government has made of the potential effect on student numbers of abolishing grants and maintenance allowances and introducing student loans and tuition fees for nurses’ training places; and what assessment the Government has made of the effect on students from poorer backgrounds of abolishing grants and maintenance allowances and introducing student loans and tuition fees for such training places.

    Ben Gummer

    The Government assessment undertaken to date is that nursing is consistently one of the most popular courses on the University Central Administration Service (fifth), with 57,000 applicants for around 20,000 nursing places in 2014. Midwifery and Allied Health Professional courses receive higher than average applications as well.

    A maximum £9,000 tuition fee for other subjects at higher education institutions was introduced in 2012. Between 2012 and 2014 the number of English domiciled applicants to enter full-time undergraduate courses in the United Kingdom increased by 7.5% (from 454,000 in 2012 to 487,870 in 2014). Figures for 2015 cycle will be released in mid-December and early indicators suggest that there will be further increase in 2015.

    Students from the most disadvantaged areas in England were 72% more likely to apply to higher education in 2015 than 2006.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment has he made of the potential effect of changes to personal injury law and procedure announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 on the number of personal injury claims; and if he will make a statement.

    Dominic Raab

    The Government received and analysed data from numerous sources when formulating the announcement in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. We will continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders including other Government Departments, solicitors and insurers in taking forward the new reform package. The Government will consult on the detail of these measures in due course. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.

  • Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has received requests to expedite the timetable of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation for a decision on HPV vaccination for boys; and whether he plans to review that timetable.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department and Public Health England (PHE) have received correspondence from hon. members, organisations and members of the public asking for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI’s) advice to be expedited.

    The JCVI has requested modelling work to help inform whether a human papillomavirus vaccination programme for boys would be cost-effective. It is anticipated that PHE will submit this to JCVI by early 2017. This is not an issue of resources, as the process of model development and checking the validity of the results is complex and requires close working between the modelling team and the scientific and clinical experts. We need to follow due process and ensure that decisions are based upon robust and rigorous cost-effectiveness analysis.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of Personal Medical Services contracts by general practices in (a) Hampstead and Kilburn, (b) London and (c) England have been reviewed by NHS England; and in how many such cases have the surgeries been advised of the future funding arrangements to financial year 2021-22.

    Alistair Burt

    NHS England carried out a stocktake of progress in completing Personal Medical Services (PMS) reviews in December 2015. This found:

    a) There are 10 PMS practices in Hampstead and Kilburn; none of these have had a PMS contract review as yet;

    b) 620 (100%) PMS contract reviews are still to be completed in London; and

    c) 1,847 (61%) PMS contract reviews have been completed in England.

    The proposed London-wide contract and funding has been communicated to practices. Camden Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Brent CCG commissioning intentions are currently being agreed and will be communicated to practices in line with the timetable.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will conduct a new review of the case for recommending a pardon for Dic Penderyn.

    Dominic Raab

    By convention, the Secretary of State for Justice only recommends the exercise of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy to grant a free pardon where evidence has come to light which demonstrates conclusively that the convicted individual was innocent and where all of the relevant appeal mechanisms have been exhausted.

    As far as I am aware, no approach has been made either to the Court of Appeal or to the Criminal Cases Review Commission to appeal or review the conviction of Dic Penderyn. In light of that, it would not be appropriate for the Secretary of State for Justice to consider whether to recommend to Her Majesty The Queen that she exercise the Royal Prerogative of Mercy.

  • Valerie Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Valerie Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the privatisation of the Land Registry on the effectiveness of its service.

    Sajid Javid

    I am pleased to say we are consulting on this very issue at the moment.

    We want to accelerate the transformation and digitisation of the Land Registry, improving the service it offers.

    However, we would only proceed with any change if we were convinced it would provide a continued appropriate level of service.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on the proposals in the European Commission press release, A European Border and Coast Guard to protect Europe’s External Borders, IP/15/6327; and if she will estimate the potential effect of those proposals on the budget of the UK Border Force.

    James Brokenshire

    The proposal for a European Border and Coast Guard builds on provisions of the Schengen agreement in which the UK does not participate; the UK will not therefore be bound by the new regulation, and will receive a refund on any contributions relating to this proposal, in line with its financing share of the EU budget.

    The UK is supportive of steps to increase the security of the external Schengen border – we have a strong interest in effective management of the Schengen external border, not just in combating illegal migration, and cross-border crime but also as part of the EU-wide counter-terrorism effort.

  • David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many full-time equivalent trade negotiators his Department has in post (a) in total, (b) with at least a year’s experience, (c) with at least five years’ experience and (d) with at least 10 years’ experience.

    Greg Hands

    The Department for International Trade has a strong and capable trade policy team with many years of negotiating expertise. We will continue to hire the brightest and best talent from within the UK civil service and from elsewhere in order to build the world class negotiating strengths needed to deliver the best outcomes for the UK.